From Katie Smith
Mid-South RC&D
Alabama’s ELMORE County. Over $58,000 was given throughout Elmore County to upgrade operational equipment for five fire departments and Kamp Kiwanis, a well-liked Girl Scout summer camp site, thanks to the Mid-South RC&D Grant Program and the resounding support of the Alabama legislature. During a countywide tour of each project site, Senator Will Barfoot and Representative Troy Stubbs commended these local groups for their hard work and observed the benefits they brought to respective legislative districts.
It is evident that the Mid-South RC&D Grant Program, which is supported by the Alabama Legislature, assists local groups in acquiring the resources they require to better serve and safeguard the public.
The state does not own this money. “It’s taxpayer money,” stated Senator Will Barfoot of Alabama.
We simply have the opportunity to transfer taxpayer funds to professionals like RC&D who are skilled at sorting reality from fiction, determining which projects are worthy of support, and ensuring that the funds return to the local level where they may be effectively utilized.
Holtville/Slapout Volunteer Fire Department, Kowaliga Volunteer Fire Department, Red Hill Volunteer Fire Department, Santuck Volunteer Fire Department, and Wetumpka Volunteer Fire Department were among the fire departments that received these monies. No fire department had the same demands, even though they all acquired equipment that improved their emergency response skills.
Alabama State Representative Troy Stubbs agreed that it’s critical to identify these needs. This is due to the fact that every fire department in Elmore County has a distinct service area and demography. The demands of the towns served by Kowaliga Volunteer Fire Department may not be exactly met by what serves the service area of Holtville/Slapout Volunteer Fire Department.
For instance, Red Hill Volunteer Fire Department acquired extrication equipment, Santuck Volunteer Fire Department acquired five new sets of personal protective equipment, and Holtville/Slapout Volunteer Fire Department upgraded its emergency communications system with new radios and pagers that will work with the new 700 system that will soon be implemented countywide.
To improve access to fire situations, the Kowaliga Volunteer Fire Department acquired two thermal cameras. Even while this equipment benefits the entire community, there was a particular need to preserve the many lives at Children’s Harbor, a 66-acre complex with 34 distinct facilities that gives sick and disabled kids a chance to experience camp life.
According to Mark Denney, fire chief of the Kowaliga Volunteer Fire Department, 5,000 children and their families attend that camp each year. When you place these people in a camp setting, things might quickly become dangerous if there is a fire incident. We understood we needed to take a different approach because of this. Without a thermal camera, standard fire and search and rescue procedures can take a long time, and it’s terrifying to think that 45 to 60 kids could be in one area, all scurrying to escape a smoke-filled building. At Children’s Harbor, we hope to never use these, but we’re ready.
The Wetumpka Fire Department purchased a community risk reduction inflatable with the help of its Mid-South RC&D grant. This inflatable, which resembles a fire or police safety home, teaches kids safety lessons as they navigate it.
We plan to use it to raise public awareness of safety at a number of events throughout the city and county. According to Wetumpka Fire Chief Greg Willis, safety reminders are positioned thoughtfully around the inflatable house to give guests an engaging experience.
In order to keep Kamp Kiwanis’ zipline in operational condition, the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama fixed it with new line, anchors, brake systems, and other equipment. Girls may learn about the workings of the zip line, which makes it an important STEM component.
“Many of our volunteers and girls were disappointed when the zip line at Kamp Kiwanis was closed because it is an essential part of our camp activities,” said Chief Development Officer Alica Gowan. There has been nothing but enthusiasm since we declared that the zip line would be returning! At two Council events and a camporee, we were able to make its debut.
The Santuck Volunteer Fire Department joined Senator Barfoot, Representative Stubbs, and the members and staff of the Mid-South RC&D Elmore County Committee for a night of camaraderie and community at the Santuck Community Center, where the tour came to an end. They shared the day’s last story about how their grant affects Elmore County and emphasized the significance of their work, just like the community organizations who came before them.
